The programme will see four students embark on individual PhD theses at the University. 

Each PhD is fully funded by Leeds Trinity with students having gone through a rigorous application process, outlining their research proposals and abilities to deliver them. Students will also receive a stipend to financially support them during the programme.

The students have been matched to expert research staff from across the University for the duration of the three-year programme. These staff have extensive professional experience in as active researchers and leaders in their fields.

These include Professor Mark Russell, who is currently leading interdisciplinary research examining ways to enhance the performance of professional team sport players with a focus on substitutes and half-time protocols; Dr Martin Barwood who is leading research to reduce the incidence of death by drowning; Professor Jane de Gay, who is an expert in the literary, cultural and intellectual heritage; and Dr Susan Elmer, who specialises in research in social work and social care.

Dr Martin Barwood, also the Director of Postgraduate Research at Leeds Trinity University, said: "These studentships reflect the continued emphasis on high quality research at Leeds Trinity University and have been appointed in our areas of research strength.

“They are absolutely central to our strategic ambitions of achieving research degree awarding powers in the next few years. This is a very exciting time to be at Leeds Trinity.”

Gillian Elvidge was successful in securing a place on Leeds Trinity’s PhD Studentships programme.

Having worked as the University’s Care Experienced and Estranged Student Contact for the past four years, Gillian is focusing on this area for her postgraduate research.

Gillian said: “Care experienced and estranged students make up a small proportion of students in higher education, but a large percentage do not finish their studies. My research aims to find out what support works to help care experienced and estranged students continue their studies successfully. 

“Starting my PhD has made me feel so energised; I feel I am now able to make the difference I always wanted to. My own experience of estrangement has given me an empathy for the situations these students are in and working in this area has given me a sense of belonging that I have always struggled to find.

“The studentship has enabled me to undertake my research full time, which I probably wouldn't have been able to do otherwise and certainly made the decision much easier.”

Leeds Trinity University is home to three research centres; the Leeds Centre for Victorian Studies (LCVS); International Research Centre for Interactive Storytelling (IRIS); and the International Centre for Higher Educational Research (ICHEER). In three years, the University’s Postgraduate Research Community has grown from 0 to over 60 students and is expanding its postgraduate research provision further.

Find out more about postgraduate research opportunities on the Leeds Trinity University website.